Wanted
by Yurei Hanatsuki
Summary: A WKC AU. What would happen if the Avatar wasn't around during the events of the first game? What if Caesar had an Uncle who took over Greede instead of him? What if Caesar and the Avatar met during the year between the first and second game? How will the Dragon Knight fare in the company of lawful pirates? Rated T for language and probably some other stuff. Cover by AzaleasDolls.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! I'm Yurei, nice to meet you. This isn't the first story I've written/posted on this site, but it is my first White Knight Chronicles story. If there are any Devil May Cry fans out there, feel free to check out my other story: "Welcome to Hell-I mean Fortuna!"**

**Okay, now that the self-advertisement is done...I suppose some explanations are in order. Yes, this is an AU-story. Basically, this is assuming that the events of the first game took place without the "Avatar" that gets dragged along with Leonard and Yulie in the first place, who is only directly spoken to or of a handful of times. I'll introduce her later, I suppose. The initial inspiration came from school, of all places. My english class was doing _Hamlet_ by William Shakespeare, and one scene in particular caught my notice. Hamlet was telling his friend Horatio about what happened during his boat trip to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and having been rescued by pirates. This amused me, because the regular backstory I made for my WKC avatar was that her parents were merchants and her grandmother was a pirate.**

**But I digress, White Knight Chronicles is not mine, it belongs to Level-5. The same people who created my favorite brain exercise regimen, the Professor Layton series.**

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Wanted

Chapter 1

Contrary to popular belief, Caesar Drisdall is both a smart and observant individual. However, there have been times in his life that even he never saw coming. (Granted, he's only been alive for about eighteen years or so, but still.) Most of these things happened in a bit of a chain. He learned he was the pactmaker of the Dragon Knight, he comes home to find his sick father had passed on, and that said parent left a note that claims his uncle had murdered the former Count Drisdall in his sleep. Then he learns he's adopted, his teammate Kara is the Black Knight that his friends so hate, she betrays them, their new friend Setti was actually the Magi leader Grazel in disguise, Kara turns her back on the Magi and then her former comrade Shapur kills her and becomes the new Dinivas.

Needless to say, when Caesar came home to Greede, he wasn't his usual cheery self. Much of his time was spent at home or in the Bunker Lode Caverns, staring off into space and just thinking. Every now and again, he would read the letter his father had left for him before his death. This made his paranoid uncle even more paranoid, if that was even possible. Matter of fact, that paranoia is the only reason Caesar actually had a home to come back to. His uncle didn't want suspicions raised once he took over, so he kept his nephew around. One night, the young pactmaker accidentally came across a plan his uncle was soon to set in motion. It all started with a late-night Bigelow chat.

Caesar was about to retire for the night as he passed by his dad's old room, which his uncle Albert now resided in, and noticed that it was open a crack. Caesar knew this was odd, as Albert would often keep the doors and windows of his room closed, even on a hot night. What really made him pause; however, were the voices he'd heard coming from within. There appeared to be a conversation going on. Odd, considering that he didn't hear anything about company today.

"He's been acting strange ever since he returned, Master Grazel. I haven't gotten a word out of him! What if he's become suspicious?" A man whispered harshly. Caesar recognized this as the voice of his uncle Albert. The owner of the other voice scoffed.

"Albert, when I gave you that venom I expected results. Not pitiful excuses." This other man replied. Yup, that was definitely Grazel. The Dragon Knight scowled. This also meant that his father's words were true; Albert did kill his old man. That bastard. The next thing said managed to catch his attention though.

"Listen, I plan on sending him to Faria within the week. Why not lie in wait for him there? Capture him, kill him, I don't give a damn so long as you get rid of him!" Albert pleaded. "That brat is a threat to my reign, and if that means handing him over to the likes of you then I will be more than happy to have him out of my hair."

Grazel chuckled, which Caesar took as his cue to leave. The last thing he heard was Grazel saying "Good. I'll be waiting."

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**To be continued! Whoot, first chapter done! xD**

**Alright, now for more talking. (Warning you now, I'm a bit of a Polonius. :p) I'm not opposed to the CaesarxKara pairing, but in all honesty I prefer to ship Casear with a female Avatar. Preferably my own. Hey, I'm human. And a Lady. (Pfft! Lady, yeah right! xD) I'm not all that different from anyone who ships Yulie with their male Avatar. Not trying to offend those of you who are, I have enjoyed plenty of YuliexM!Avatar stories in the past. I wanted to bring something semi-new to the table, so here I have.**

**I hope you all enjoyed it, feel free to leave a review. Keep in mind that flames will be ignored, or possibly made fun of by myself or characters in a later chapter. 'Till next time, y'all. Happy Easter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**And I'm back again. First and foremost, thank you _Forever Free Evergreen_ for pointing out the mistake with my title, it did look pretty ridiculous the way it initially was. Originally this was going to reated M, but upon further inspection the language content (in my opinion) suited a T rating better. If anyone thinks otherwise, shoot me a PM. I'm not new to writing fanfics, just new to posting.**

Yeah, like always I don't own this series (but oh how I wish I did). Anything pertaining to other games/series is there by coincidence, because I only use names that I like if I think it suits a character.

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Wanted

Chapter 2

Later that week, true to his word, Albert sent Caesar on a boat headed for Faria to participate in some kind of hunt. Accompanying him were two alleged noble's sons, which Caesar's Dragonsight identified as Yshrenian agents. The young Dragon Knight was leaning against the bow railing as he heard his two companions talking in hushed tones.

"So, do you think we'll run afoul of the Dread Queen before we get there?" One of them asked. He sounded genuinely worried. The other one scoffed, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.

"Of course not! The Dread Queen is just a myth the fishing villages made up in the hopes of warding off pirates. She's not real, and probably never was, so just shut up already!" the other commanded. Caesar walked over to them, feigning nonchalance.

"So…who's this Dread Queen you guys are talking about?" He asked casually. The first of the two goons looked at him.

"They say that she's many things; a pirate, a demon, a vengeful spirit, an actual noble, or even a lesser goddess! Nobody's ever seen her though, so it's hard to say what's certain." He explained. Once more, the other agent scoffed.

"She's also _a myth._ As in _not real_, dumbass. Supposedly, she's the ocean's equivalent to Robin Hood or something. Steals from pirate ships, gives to the poor, and protects passing merchant ships, that sort of crap. But seeing as nobody's seen her, the logical explanation is that she does not exist." The agent explained boredly as he rolled his eyes. A deep, amused chuckle interrupted the conversation before Caesar could say anything. Turning around, he stood face-to-face with an elderly man who had threads of silver mixed in with his honey-gold hair. The man stroked his gold and silver beard as he shook his head, ice blue eyes twinkling amusedly at the three boys. Caesar thought that the guy looked like a friendly blonde Eldore.

"Oh-ho, she's _real_, m'boy. I knew her personally, and quite well." He said confidently. The Yshrenian agents paled, the first one whispering something to the second before excusing themselves. This made the sailor laugh as he clapped the young pactmaker on the shoulder. "I can tell you everything I know about her, if you'd like?" he offered. "These greenhorns might be incompetent, but at least they won't be setting this ship on fire anytime soon."

Caesar didn't catch anything bad about this strange old man whose name he didn't know in his Dragonsight, so he shrugged and said "Sure, why not?"

As it turned out, Edward (the blond Eldore) had once been a cabin boy to a notorious pirate by the name of Charles "Scarbeard" Shepard. Scarbeard had a daughter by the name of Dante, who often called herself by her middle name "Zaneba", and she was the one who would eventually become the Dread Queen. The two of them had fallen in love and once they were old enough, escaped to the mainland. For safety's sake, the two parted ways, but Edward had been there to watch as his beloved embarked on the maiden voyage of a ship she'd named the Kalina, after her mother. She was out to capture her father, which was how her legend came into being.

Since then, she'd made deals with every city and town that had a port. She would hunt down pirates and protect any passing merchant ships in return for being left alone by their naval forces. Edward admitted to hearing rumors of late that she was training a successor, but he insisted that he'd only believe it if she told him that herself. Caesar listened to the tale, surprised and impressed at the same time. After a while, he thanked Edward for the interesting conversation and left.

Later that evening, Caesar noticed Edward looking pensively at something through a bronze spyglass in his hands. Something was up, Caesar knew it.

"Hey there, old-timer. What's going on?" he asked in concern. Edward said nothing, simply handing him the spyglass, never taking his eyes off of the horizon. Looking into it, Caesar hummed contemplatively. "Looks like a ship. And it's headed right towards us." He said. Edward grunted in acknowledgment, nodding.

"Indeed. If they're hostile, we may need all the capable fighters we can get. Question is: are you any good with a weapon?" he asked. The young pactmaker smirked.

"Trust me, I'm good enough. What about you, old-timer?" Caesar said confidently. The blonde chuckled.

"Oh, I'm plenty good enough. I just hope you can keep up, lad." He joked. They both laughed before parting to gather their weapons.

About half an hour later, the other ship was close enough for a person to see its name with the naked eye. Both men, as well as the agents, were in shock. There, on the side of the boat, was written _**The Kalina.**_ Edward shook his head in awe.

"Gods, it couldn't be…" he breathed. All around them, crew members shouted orders to secure the cargo and prepare for battle. Once the first pirate's boots touched the ship's deck, the battle began.

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**Here we are again, I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to review with any comments or concerns, as I said before: flames will be ignored. Or mocked. Anyhow, I'll see you around! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Oh wow, people are reading this? xD Woo, third chapter! After much wait, and some good-natured ribbing, I bring you this humble update. Thanks to those of you who have read, favorited, or reviewed thus far, I really appreciate it.**

**WKC is not mine, I just play with their characters. And try to make Soul Calibur V characters as close to them as possible. ..**

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Wanted

Chapter 3

These were definitely not your run-of-the-mill pirates, both Caesar and Edward deduced this early on in the fight. They left the two males well enough alone, focusing more on the crew of the ship. What's more, as the young Drisdall observed, many of these pirates were of the feminine persuasion. Their gender didn't change the fact that they were all formidable fighters, though. One of them in particular had caught the spear-wielder's attention.

She held an elegant rapier expertly in her right hand, a dagger in her left, with the stance of an experienced duelist. Dual-wielders were few and far between, if his travels with Leonard and the gang was anything to go by. Her outfit was similar to that of the other pirates, modest garments of cotton and leather, and it appeared she was of average height. Her hair was brown, not unlike his, about shoulder-length with braids that looked like a circlet which was broken by her bangs. Said bangs stopped just above hauntingly dark purple eyes.

Whoever she was, the girl seemed focused on her opponent as a young redheaded male swung a great-axe on the crewman trying to sneak up behind her. So distracted was Caesar, that he didn't notice the ship captain coming up behind him until there was a sword at his throat. The redhead saw this, and alerted his comrade.

"Milady, he's taken a hostage. What should we do?" he asked her quietly. With a practiced ease, the brunette finished off the last enemy within range of her blades before quickly analyzing the situation.

"No shit, Ganymede. Just let me handle it." She curtly whispered. Turning towards Caesar and the captain, she took a few steps forward, pointing her blade at them. "So what do you want, you spineless coward?" she taunted, staring him down the edge of her blade. The captain chuckled menacingly.

"Go away; leave my cargo and your captain as well. I'll fetch quite the guilder if you scalawags are truly the Dread Queen's crew. And if I play my cards right…" His sentence was interrupted by Edward driving his cutlass into the captain's abdomen, taking care not to harm the pactmaker.

"Don't you DARE." The blonde emphasized as he drove the blade in deeper "Speak ill of my Queen in front of me, you Gods-damned SLAVER!" he finished as he pulled the blade out, the captain crumpling to the ground shortly after. Caesar merely stared in awe. His mind went to Eldore, who performed forbidden magyks to find the reincarnation of his Queen, Mureas; of Leonard, whom he'd met while the fellow pactmaker was on a quest to save his Queen-to-be from the Magi; and finally to this man Edward, who would kill in the name of his beloved. He respected Eldore, as well as Leonard, for what they've done; and now he'd gained respect for Edward.

The death of the slaver captain brought a relieved smile to the brunette's face. Turning to her crew, she called for one of her own. After a few moments, it became clear to Caesar that she had sent for a medic to check up on him and Edward. Another redhead drew near, female this time, carrying a medicine bag. Her long fiery hair was braided, a dagger and a hatchet strapped to her waist. She smiled politely as she came within hearing range.

"Does anyone need healing?" she inquired. Caesar shook his head, mutely telling her he was uninjured. Edward laughed slightly, though it sounded a little forced. As he looked, the Dragon Knight saw a small patch of red blossoming on the older male's side. Nowhere fatal, but a worrisome sight none the less.

"I'm fine, Lass. 'Tis just a scratch, I'll walk it off." He kindly dismissed as he turned to Caesar. "I'm sorry, lad. I had my suspicions about this being a slaver vessel, but in this day and age, you don't know whom you can trust." The spear-wielder just shook his head again and smiled.

"No worries, old timer." He replied. "What happened is better than what could have been, actually." Caesar laughed. The older man nodded, smiling.

"That so? Well, we all have our stories. Though I must admit, I'm rather curious about this merciful band of sea-rogues." Edward mused, stroking his beard thoughtfully. Looking over at Caesar, he continued. "And I'm willing to bet you are, too, if the way you were staring at that brunette lass is any indication."

"H-HEY! It's not like that!" Caesar defended, gawking at the amused mariner. Before the conversation could progress any further in its current direction, the brown-haired pirate in question approached with the redheaded male in tow.

"Kairi, are you alright?" the new male asked, blue eyes revealing concern behind his fiery bangs. Kairi, as she was apparently called, smiled sweetly.

"I'm fine, brother. Lady Dante has taught me well." She replied, looking at the other girl gratefully. The brunette smiled, shaking her head modestly.

"That was all you, Kairi, and you held your own well. Don't sell yourself short." Dante said encouragingly. Edward stared at her in shock.

"Dante?" he asked. Looking over at them, the brunette in question smiled in a friendly manner. Ganymede scowled at them, Caesar supposed that the redhead was suspicious of them.

"Yes. My name is Dante Ross, after my grandmother. I take it you know her?" Dante said politely. Before any response could be given, a young man with slicked back blonde hair and a great sword on his back approached. He looked rather annoyed to see the brunette there.

"You're out here again, Lady Dante? Gods, why am I not surprised? You know you're supposed to stay with Lady Zaneba on these raids." This stranger stated, his green eyes showing irritation with everything in general. Dante rolled her eyes and scoffed in an un-ladylike manner while Edward just stared. Caesar looked at him in concern.

"You alright there, old timer?" The younger male asked. Edward nodded slightly.

"I believe so, yes…" He replied, staring into space as though he were trying to find the right words to say. Caesar took it upon himself to ask what his Dragonsight told him Edward wanted to ask her.

"So, not looking a gift horse in the mouth or anything, but are you guys really part of the Dread Queen's crew?" he prompted. The blonde turned his ever-present scowl towards him, but before he could fire off any kind of haughty retort, a young woman with platinum-blonde hair walked up. There was a mace and a kite shield fastened to her back.

"Lady Dante, we've done a full sweep of the ship, all the slavers are dead. Orders?" she asked, seemingly uncaring as to where the brunette was at any given time. Dante smiled brightly.

"Ah, Maria. Salvage what you can and get it to the Kalina. Bama and I will look through it later. In the meantime…" she said, looking to the other three. "Axel, Kairi, and Ganymede, I'd like you to look for survivors. I'm going to poke around the captain's quarters and see if I can find any useful leads." Maria and the others nodded, and then left. Turning around, Dante looked at Caesar and Edward.

"Anything we can do, milady?" Caesar offered, his tone slightly teasing. This young woman and her crew more or less foiled whatever it was his uncle had planned, so he figured the least he could do was some heavy lifting. Dante giggled at him and smiled.

"It's going to take a while for Ganymede and the others to get back, so why not stick with me for a bit?" she said. Edward nodded.

"Aye, aye. Follow me; I know where the lily-livered bastard kept his records." Edward said. The two younger fighters nodded and followed, not knowing what the future held in store for them.

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**Aaand that's that. You guys now know whom the leading lady is, and her merry band of misfits. With the exception of Axel, all of these characters were mine. I would often make new ones to experiment with weapon styles, and Dante was my favorite. I'll explain it more later. Axel was my brother's (abandoned) WKC character. He gave up on the games because he found out about the level cap in 2. *cue eyeroll***

**Anyways, please review, I'd like to hear what you guys think of this so far. See ya' round! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, people! How's it going? :D**

**Gods, things have been NUTS here at home. I've been researching my ass off for a ten page paper on minimum wage, and I'm working dilligently on a PowerPoint presentation on Role Playing Games. Not to mention I'm graduating in a couple months and looking into Full Sail University's online course for Bachelor's in Game Design. So much to worry about, yet time seems so short.**

**Anyhow, you didn't come here to listen to my whining. You came here to read, and read you will.**

**I'm not doing a disclaimer for this, you people all know I don't own White Knight Chronicles.**

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Wanted

Chapter 4

The three walked in silence for a time, which left Caesar to wonder many things. Soon enough, he had to ask about what was on his mind.

"So Dante, what was that blonde guy saying? About you staying behind during the raids?" He asked. Dante sighed, blowing her bangs away from her face and pouting.

"Axel means well, even with that stick up his arse, but he just doesn't understand that I can't stay behind." She explained. "Even Bama knows that. Hell, she's the one who _taught _me that in the first place! A true leader should be out with her crew, not hanging back and twiddling her thumbs." Caesar nodded, humming in agreement.

"I know the feeling all too well. Don't you just hate it when that happens?" He asked. Dante chuckled, making him smile. "Thought so. Gods, but where are my manners? My name's Caesar." He added. Dante smiled, giggling at him.

"Nice to meet you, Caesar." The young pirate replied. Edward paused at a door, resting his hand on it before nodding.

"We're here. He kept the door locked, but I know enough about lock picking to get you in." He said, taking out some picks. Dante looked at him curiously.

"You seem so familiar, yet I'm sure we have never met. If I may ask, sir: What's your name?" Dante asked politely. Edward glanced at her.

"Hawke. Edward Hawke." He replied as the lock gave. She nodded, staring at his blue eyes intently. Looking over at Caesar, she offered an explanation.

"His eyes. They look almost exactly like my mother's. I wonder if Bama knows him…" she mused. All further questions were suspended as they entered the room. What greeted them inside, however, brought about even more questions. Well, Caesar nearly lost his lunch, too, but that's beside the point.

Corpses littered the room. Some belonged to young people, some to old, in varying states of decay. A few were fresh, some were in the putrefaction stage, many were in the decomposition stage, and there were already a couple in the skeletalization stage. Caesar and Dante shared looks of horrified disgust, Edward looked unsurprised.

"Sick bastard. Gods be praised that he lives no more…" The old man mused. Caesar scoffed, trying not to look at all the dead.

"Here's hoping the damn creep rots in hell." The pactmaker grumbled. Walking to the desk, Dante leafed through the maps and charts on top. Her eyes betrayed nothing as she hummed in contemplation.

"The slave trade makes a damned good front for a serial killer. There's little we can do for these poor souls, but at least mister Hawke saw to it that he can't do this to anyone else." She mused, her voice weighted by sorrow. Humming softly, Caesar nodded. Then Maria appeared in the doorway.

"Lady Dante, we've finished our task…" The silverette began. Dante looked over her shoulder at her.

"I'm sensing a "but" here. What is it, Maria?" she asked calmly. Maria took a deep breath before responding.

"Milady, we found a pair of well-dressed sods hiding behind some crates. One of them made a pass at Kairi, and she then knocked them both unconscious." Maria continued. Dante nodded, both in approval and to prompt Maria to go on. "As we were going through their things, we came across these, ma'am." She explained, handing the brunette a pair of intricate looking cards. Caesar immediately recognized them, and apparently so did Dante.

"Aren't these the cards those Yshrenians carry? The kind that warps them into Gigas?" Dante asked. Maria nodded, looking concerned.

"The same, milady. What are your orders?" she asked. Caesar spoke up at that point, knowing the pair the others found.

"I'm not sure what to do with the cards, but would you mind letting me talk to them before you make any decisions?" he asked. Dante nodded.

"Very well, then. Take him to the scalawags, Maria. And could you please send Kairi our way? As you can tell, we are in need of a priestess." She instructed. Maria nodded and stood aside.

"This way, sir. I'm sure they're still unconscious at the moment." Maria said. Caesar nodded, taking one last look at Dante as she mumbled something. The two cards burst into purple-black flames before ceasing to exist. He then left with Maria, a small smirk gracing his features.

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**There we go, have another cliff hanger! Thank you all for liking/favoriting/reviewing this, I really appreciate it. Feel free to review, or just PM me, I don't bite unless provoked. No flames, or I'll play with them and burn the would-be arson. ;3**

**See y'all later!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, all. I'm back again. :) Working dilligently on both my writings and my schoolwork with Svengoolie playing in the background. Good God, it's almost midnight here...  
**

**White Knight Chronicles isn't mine.**

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Wanted

Chapter 5

The Yshrenian spies were tied back-to-back atop a barrel, blindfolded and bruised. If he were to guess, he'd say that this Kairi chick packed a wallop. Axel, Kairi, and Ganymede stood nearby. Maria and Axel nodded at each other before the silverette began to relay orders.

"Ganymede, remove the blinds. Kairi, Lady Dante has requested your presence in the Captains quarters; you'll understand when you get there. Brother, return to Lady Zaneba and let her know what has transpired here." She directed.

With a synchronized "Aye," the remainder of the crew set about their tasks. Caesar watched as they scattered, but before he could question it, Maria turned to him. "As you apparently know these fools, I'll leave their fates in your hands." Nodding in thanks, he looked to the agents who finally realized he was there.

"Lord Caesar! Thanks the Gods you're alive. We though those pirates would murder us." The first one said. His partner, the one who had been worrying about the Dread Queen in the first place, sighed in relief.

"I was worried they'd killed you, milord. Or worse." The other one said. Caesar scoffed, crossing his arms and scowling at them.

"Yeah, wouldn't want _that_ now, would we?" He deadpanned. "Look, I know you're working for Grazel, so just make this easier on yourselves and tell me what you know about whatever it is he and my uncle had in store for me." The Dragon Knight demanded. The agents looked at one another, harshly whispering in regards to what they should do. It was the pirate-fearing one who finally gave him an answer.

"There was going to be an ambush in the Lost Forest. Several sorcerors would be there in order to keep you from transforming. We had been given Rosetta Seals in the event that our cover was blown, because we knew you wouldn't put innocent lives in danger." He explained. The other one continued.

"We had no clue this was a slaver vessel, and none of us expected these pirates to show up. Our orders were to merely bring you to Master Grazel alive." The fool said as Maria hummed.

"Frankly, if this wasn't the slaver vessel that Lady Zaneba and Lady Dante have been tracking, we wouldn't have bothered you all. But the fact of the matter is, they've been tracking this ship for months." She explained. Caesar looked to her.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask: this Lady Zaneba, is she the Dread Queen I've heard so much about?" He asked. Crossing her arms, Maria nodded.

"Aye, she is. Many of us owe her our lives, Axel and I especially. 'Tis why we serve her, you see. There's not a single member of this crew that wouldn't follow her through hell." She said with pride. "And once Lady Dante dons the mantle, we will do the same for her." Caesar nodded as Edward, Dante and Kairi approached.

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**Wow, short chapter...looks so much longer in writing. Sorry about that! Please review, I love hearing from you guys! See you soon. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi again! Sorry about last night's very short chapter, I was beginning to nod off around midnight. ^^; **

**If I owned White Knight Chronicles, there would be a third game out already and there wouldn't be the level cap based on Guild Rank.  
Anyway, enjoy!**

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Wanted

Chapter 6

"So, you're still alive I see." Kairi remarked stoically. Dante put a calming hand on the redhead's shoulder while her twin, silent to this point, walked over to console his angered sister.

"Have you decided what to do with them yet?" Edward asked. Caesar shook his head, as did Maria.

"Not yet. All things considered, milady…I believe the choice should fall to him." Maria explained, nodding to the spear-wielder.

"That sounds fair enough." Dante said, nodding. All eyes went to Caesar as he turned to face the agents.

"So, do you guys have anything to say before your fates are sealed?" he asked them casually. The non-paranoid agent scowled and spat at Caesar's feet.

"Our Farian bastard Lord Shapur should have drawn out the blonde whore's death." Growled the agent in defiance. If it was supposed to bait him, it worked. Dante took note of his anger and nodded.

"Shark bait it is, then." She mused softly. Caesar glared vehemently at the defiant agent and scoffed.

"Yeah, looks like it…I'm sorry, I need some air." Caesar said, walking out of the room. Dante sighed, Caesar wasn't the only one who needed air at the moment.

"Kairi, perform their last rites." She ordered before leaving the room herself. Once she was on deck, she saw the cargo ladder which led to where she wanted to be. Unfortunately, Caesar wasn't very far from it himself. He was leaning against the rail, staring darkly into the ocean. At first, she was going to let sleeping dragons lie as she approached the net, but she paused once he began to speak.

"I told you, I just needed some air." He said, his voice sounding almost lifeless. Sighing, Dante shook her head behind him.

"As do I, but you're standing right next to the ladder I need to use to get to the crow's nest." She explained, pointing upwards. Looking to his right, Caesar noticed the ladder as though it had just shown up there. This revelation made his face heat up in embarrassment.

"Sorry about that." He said bashfully. Smiling gently, she giggled.

"No worries, Caesar. We all have moments like that. Now if you'll excuse me…" She replied, pausing as she hoisted herself onto the ladder with a practiced ease. "I can tell that one lily-livered scalawag's words struck a nerve, so I'll let you be." Dante said calmly, knowing the need for solitude in times of anger. In an unwitting act, Caesar grabbed her ankle before she could climb too high up.

"Wait!" He said. Dante looked down at him innocently. "Most people would ask what he'd meant. Aren't you the same?" He asked; confused as to how he should react.

"Is it something you want to talk about to a stranger?" She asked evenly. Caesar bit his lip and looked down to the side.

"Well, no. But…" He muttered. Before he could say anything else, Dante cut in.

"Then that's the end of it. You don't wish to speak of it; I won't press you on the matter. It's as simple as that." She replied in an authoritative tone. Caesar looked at her and nodded, saying nothing as he released her ankle and returned to his spot against the railing. Dante nodded once again and resumed her climb, leaving the young Drisdall to contemplate the things on his mind.

The young pirate hadn't been in the crow's nest for more than five minutes before Caesar poked his head in.

"Permission to join you up here?" He asked nervously. Dante glanced at him and chuckled.

"You're not one of my crew, you don't need my permission." She replied simply. Caesar climbed in and sat down next to her.

They sat there for a while. The agents were likely dead now, but neither of them seemed to care. They wouldn't be receiving a report anytime soon because Dante's crew understood that she was not to be disturbed when she went into the crow's nest. After a period of comfortable silence watching the stars, Caesar spoke up.

"Is it alright with you if I change my mind about not wanting to talk?" He asked softly. Dante's violet eyes glanced towards him, reflecting the heavens above.

"If you'd like, but what made you change your mind?" She whispered back.

"I gave it some thought, and I think it might help if I got it off my chest. Besides, I can tell you're a trustworthy girl and you deserve to know." He explained. Normally, Caesar wouldn't do something like this, but his Dragonsight told him that Dante was someone he could trust. Someone he could tell anything without being judged. She nodded gently, allowing him to get it all off his chest.

"The person he was talking about…Her name was Kara." He began. "Even though she was out to kill us at first, she's always been like an older sister to me. Like family." Dante listened quietly, saying nothing as he continued.

"We'd finally convinced her to come back to our side when she was literally stabbed in the back by one of her former comrades. It wasn't a quick death, but it was probably more merciful than what most others would get from him." He said sadly.

"The agent called him Shapur, right? Green-clad Farian with an eye patch and a katana?" Dante asked. Caesar looked at her in shock.

"Yeah, how did you…" He began. Dante sighed, muttering a quiet "Goddess…" as she rested her forehead on the heel of her hand.

"There used to be two more of us. Ganymede and Kairi had a cousin, Maria had a twin." She said sadly. "Rowan was a gifted soothsayer, while Maric was a member of the Chaos Legion just like my Mother. They called him the "Celtic Guardian" while my she was called the "Amazoness Paladin." Maric's name came from the manner in which he defended other legionnaires in their time of need, and Mother gained her name from the combination of her skill with a sword and her gift for Divine Magics." She said.

"He was a _very_ gifted swordsman. Haven't seen one better than him before or since. Shapur sought us out a few years back, demanding to make use of Rowan's gift. He wanted more power, and she told him exactly what she saw in her crystal orb. When she did…he didn't like what he heard. He threatened her, Maric tried to keep Rowan safe, Shapur killed him dishonorably and Rowan disappeared. We've no clue as to what happened to her." She finished quietly, curling up on herself.

"And you blame yourself for what happened?" Caesar guessed. Dante nodded, and he could see tears threatening to fall. "Gods…I knew Shapur had issues, but that?" He wondered, shaking his head. Glancing at her again, he decided to take a chance to tell her the rest of what was on his mind for the longest time.

"My Uncle tried to hand me over to them. The Yshrenians, I mean." He said. Dante stared at him in surprise, and he resumed stargazing.

"Why would he do that? You're part of his family." She asked. Caesar pulled an envelope from his jacket and a strange reddish belt from a pack on his side.

"Two reasons; one being that I knew the truth…" He started, holding the letter in front of her. She gingerly took it, but didn't read it.

"And the other reason?" she prompted gently. Caesar looked ashamed when he finally answered.

* * *

**So, first a really short chapter, now a relatively long one. Well, longer thanthe other ones, at least. Looks like the same average length of a chapter in my other fic, heheh. And a cliffhanger, let me know if you're getting tired of those.**

**Anyways, huge thank you to _Forever Free Evergreen_ for letting me borrow some of his stuff. It seemed fitting to have my two ex-Chaos Legion members be nicknamed after Yu-Gi-Oh cards like Alastor is. I'll admit, I'd probably have fun if Dante and Alastor got to go on an adventure. But anyways! School in the morning (Blargh), SSR time first period. David Gaider's Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne, here I come. :3**

**I'll see you guys later! Please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Back again, are we? How's it going? Good to see you. Well, this looks like it's about the same length as the usual chapters. Let me know if it isn't through a PM, ok?**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, here's the next chapter.**

**It's safe to say we know this by now: I don't own this game. You don't own this game. This entire site doesn't own this game.**

* * *

Wanted

Chapter 7

"I'm a pactmaker." He said quietly, staring at the curious vermillion belt in his hand. When he noticed Dante's look of absolute confusion, he sighed and elaborated.

"This thing…it's called an ark. It's used for a giant suit of armor called an Incorruptus. I can invoke its' power and become the Dragon Knight Larvayne. I'm the only one who can use it, so the only way for someone to take this from me is if they killed me. Grazel, the Yshrenian's leader, and Shapur are pactmakers, too. They're trying to get their hands on all five knights, for one reason or another." He explained.

"So, was Kara a pactmaker as well? Before Shapur killed her, I mean." Dante asked. Caesar nodded, remembering the day he lost her. "Goddess…it finally makes sense…" She said quietly.

"What does?" Caesar asked. Dante leaned back against the mast, facing the heavens and closing her eyes.

"_What thou seek lies in a place, long since forgot, where thou shall then leave the past bearer to rot. Yet know this as well, take note of this call, thine lust for power shall bring forth thine fall._" She said, opening her eyes and staring into the heavens. "It was the prophecy Rowan gave Shapur. None of us knew what it meant, but the "past bearer" has to mean Kara!"

"So you're saying Shapur is going to get himself killed, because he's a power-hungry bastard?" Caesar asked. Dante nodded.

"Rowan's predictions always came true, one way or another. It's why Shapur sought her out in the first place." She explained. Caesar nodded, making a small sound of acknowledgment before pointing to the letter.

"That was the last letter my old man ever wrote. The last things he could ever say to me. It's what Albert so rightfully fears, see for yourself." He said. Opening the letter, Dante read it quietly. Once she got to the point Caesar had wanted her to read, she nearly dropped it.

"What?" she gasped. Caesar nodded grimly.

"Albert killed my father so he could take his job. Dad was sick, he was going to die anyway, and I wouldn't have cared if Albert took over instead of me then. But killing him? That's where I draw the line." He said. Fury came off his voice in waves, sending a chill up Dante's spine and causing her heart to flutter. She could tell, getting him angry was a very bad idea. Something made her shiver, but she rationalized it as someone having stepped on her grave. Caesar noticed this, and pulled her close under the assumption she was cold.

Dante had felt herself being moved and before she knew it, she was nestled right up against him, her head landing softly where his neck and shoulder connected. She blushed, completely taken aback. He was the first guy since her father to hold her this close. Axel was an emotionless prick; and Ganymede, sassy gay friend Ganymede, only gave her short hugs or a comforting shoulder grab at times. They sat there quietly for a time, his head resting on hers as they continued stargazing and keeping each other warm.

Time passed, but the peace wouldn't last forever. Soon enough, Dante heard her crew calling for her. This is when Fate (Read: the very bored author who _really_ didn't want to check the answers on her Economics quiz) decided to screw with them. They both tried to stand up, but then they tripped. On each other. And then they fell. After a minor yelp of surprise, Dante was on her back with Caesar on top of her. Their blushing faces were inches apart.

The embarrassed teens stared at each other for a bit, then parted and tried to avoid eye contact until the blushing stopped.

"Let's, ah…not mention what just happened once we're back on deck…" He suggested bashfully. Dante brushed herself off and chuckled slightly.

"Aye, that sounds like a plan." She said, relieved. Smiling, they laughed at themselves and climbed back down.

Waiting at the bottom was Edward, along with Kairi and Maria. Dante nodded to her crew, and they nodded back.

"We're going to set the ship on fire soon, would you like to travel with us for a bit?" Maria offered. Caesar shrugged.

"Maybe, depends on where you're headed." He replied. Kairi smiled at him.

"To a port town just south of Balandor, called Neptuna. Lady Dante's parents are currently there." She explained. Caesar appeared to contemplate this for a bit, and then he nodded.

"Well, I do have friends in Balandor…Alright, I'll come with you. Thanks." He said politely. Kairi chuckled as she glanced between him and Dante.

"It's going to take at least a week, considering our proximity to Faria." She added. Looking to Dante, she continued. "You may wish to introduce them to Lady Zaneba before anything else." Dante chuckled, nodding.

"I intended to. Come on, we can go now." She said to the guys. The elder man looked at Caesar and chuckled.

"What's so funny?" The pactmaker asked. Edward shook his head amusedly.

"I'll tell you when you're older, m'boy." He taunted cryptically. Groaning, Caesar facepalmed and scowled at the older man. Edward chuckled again and began to follow Dante onto the ship. Groaning again, Caesar shook his head and ran after them.

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**And that's that. School's winding to a close here, and I have a lot to think about involving the years to come. College, getting a job, my liscence, etc. I'll do my best to update at least once a week, probably on weekends like I have been. Until then, have a happy Mother's Day. To all the mothers and all the readers' mothers.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Yo guys! Here I am with another chapter. Sheesh, I need to step up my game. I'll probably have run out of the stuff I already wrote by next update! xD**

**Kinda nervous, had an interview at this fast-food joint in my area. Trying to get my first job, y'know? Likely botched it, hahaha. It happens, am I right?  
If I owned WKC, there'd be a third game, and you would be able to romance characters in the game if you wanted. (That's right Yulie fanboys, you'd be able to woo your favorite purple-haired archer.)**

* * *

Wanted

Chapter 8

In the captain's cabin of the Kalina, a middle-aged woman sat before a mahogany desk covered in maps and charts. She was writing in a book of some kind, a journal perhaps, filled with words and sketches. An alabaster hand combed through graying ebony locks as the other filled the tome with even more words. A soft knocking at the door sent amethyst irises flicking upwards, a welcome distraction from her task, knowing that it was likely her dear granddaughter.

"It's open." The elderly woman said gently. The door creaked open and sure enough, there was her dear grandchild and successor of seventeen years. Something was different, though. She wasn't alone. To her right was a young man who looked to be close to Dante's age. Offhandedly, she recognized him as Count Drisdall's son. That was going to be interesting, but it was the one on her grandchild's left that surprised her. "Goddess…Edward?"

"Is it truly you, Zaneba?" The blonde asked, awestruck. He took a step forward, hesitant in regards to this unexpected reunion. Caesar and Dante looked to one another in confusion.

"Should we leave them alone?" Caesar asked, watching the scene before him. Dante shrugged.

"Not sure. I'm tempted to stay and see how this unfolds, but it feels like I'd be intruding…" She quietly replied. Zaneba stood up and walked to them, eyes on Edward, which the younger two took as their cue to leave.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it Dante?" Edward asked once the door closed, using Zaneba's given name. The senior Dante laughed softly, smiling.

"Indeed it has, Tesoro…" She replied, placing her hands on his chest in the way that old lovers do. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on his shoulder. "I've missed you so much…" Edward chuckled.

"Try aiming next time, love." He teased, wrapping his arms around the woman he'd loved so long ago. The two stood like that for a while, swaying in each other's arms to a soundless melody. "I believe we have much to catch up on, Dante." He said gently, she hummed in agreement and led him to an empty seat.

Meanwhile, Caesar and Dante went up into the Crow's nest, if only to stay out of the crew's way. The only knowledge Caesar had about pirates came from the stories he'd been read as a child, but he could see now that his new friend and her mentor ran a fairly tight ship. Dante would have been content sitting at a small distance from him, but Caesar pulled her to his side yet again, on the grounds that he wasn't used to nights at sea. Dante rolled her eyes good-naturedly, and teased him by calling the young noble a wuss. He defended by pointing out that she was dressed for the weather, to which she rebutted by pointing out his midriff-revealing outfit. They laughed some more, and then settled into companionable silence.

"Hey Dante, may I ask you something?" Caesar mused. Dante hummed, prompting him to go on. "Maria had said that most of the crew owed the Dread Queen their lives. What did she mean?"

"Well, Axel, Maria, and Rowan were members of the Cervantes family of mercenaries. Their parents had taken a job that went sour, and they died trying to get the three of them to safety. Kairi was in another village, training to become an Akashic priestess. Ganymede worked in the village militia in order to support the two of them. Maric was in the same militia, but in a different unit." She explained. Taking a breath, she continued.

"Bama, Mom, Dad, and I spent days trying to keep the Cervantes triplets alive. But the militia that Maric and Ganymede were in decided to lay siege on the village my family had dropped anchor in. I was never good at Divine Magic, so I left in order to help protect the village. They never expected an Elemental Adept like me would show up and knock 'em all back, ha!" She said. Caesar chuckled, smirking at her with an eyebrow raised in silent taunt.

"Wait, so you're telling me that you're not just good at fighting with a sword and a dagger, but you can use _magic,_ too?" He asked teasingly. The pactmaker had a feeling that she knew how to cast a spell, seeing as it's the only way to truly destroy a Rosetta Seal, but he couldn't resist teasing her. He regretted the statement soon after, as a chunk of ice manifested against the exposed skin of his lower back.

Caesar yelped at the unwelcome sensation as Dante crouched a small distance off, grinning and laughing like a fool.

"My sincerest apologies, sir. You were saying?" The young pirate teased. Before he could come up with a suitable reply, a voice called to them from below.

"Dante Ophelia Ross, are you casting spells on people again?" Zaneba hollered from the deck. The brunette in question popped her head over the side of the nest.

"He started it!" She replied unapologetically. Edward walked up behind Zaneba, looking at the two so high up.

"Caesar, quit taunting the poor girl and get down here!" He yelled. "Same goes for you, lassie, there's a bigelow waiting for you in your grandmother's room!" An excited look spread across Dante's face as she scurried down the ladder. Slightly confused, Caesar followed soon after.

"What's gotten her so energetic?" He asked. Zaneba chuckled amusedly, shaking her head and smiling.

"Her parents worry about her when she's with me, so they send a Bigelow once a week to check up on her." She explained.

"I see…" Caesar mused. Edward chuckled, placing his hands on Zaneba's shoulders.

"We've been granted permission to stay aboard until we reach port, but until then we must earn our keep, same as the rest of the crew." He said. Caesar nodded, smiling.

"Fine by me, I'm not afraid of some heavy lifting." He replied. Zaneba smiled, nodding.

"So it's settled then. Now, get some rest you two. We can talk more in the morning." She ordered.

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**And there you go, that's all for this update. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, please continue to do so. I don't bite (much) and I love to hear from everyone. See y'all next week!**


	9. I owe you guys, big time

**Hey everyone!**

**I know you guys have been expecting an update to my story for a while, and I'm really sorry that I haven't delivered. D:**

**Things have been mega loco since last update. I was working my ass off on a bunch of things to finish school. Exams, projects that counted as final exams, a paper that I had to do in order to pass English because of reasons, job searching, et cetera. But now it's done, I've graduated from High School, and I have to put more focus on the tasks at hand, updating included.**

**I promise I'll update as soon as I can. I haven't forgotten y'all!**

**Love you,**

**Yurei**


	10. Chapter 9

**Hey everyone, I'm back! Kinda miffed about WKC online services being terminated. (Okay, that was a lie, I'm freaking PISSED that it's gone.) Failing epically at quests and chatting with other WKC fans on DeviantArt, one of my other haunts.**

**In honor of Independence Day, I cry FREEDOM! from having to say the one thing that everyone knows yet for some reason must be put in every single story on this site. Muahaha.**

* * *

Wanted

Chapter 9

Dante hurried into her grandmother's office, grinning as she saw the powder-blue (A/N: PRIUS! Okay, I'll behave. =A=) Bigelow perched on the back of the antique chair her grandmother would often occupy. As though it were expecting her, the bird immediately projected the images of her parents; Elissa and Alistair Ross.

"Hi Mom, hi Dad!" Dante greeted happily. The raven-haired Elissa smiled, blue eyes twinkling in relief.

"Hello, Siha. How are you doing?" She asked. Alistair crossed his arms, a teasing look in his emerald eyes.

"Are you behaving yourself for your grandmother, young lady?" He inquired, sounding stern. Dante laughed.

"I'm doing well, Mama. And Dad, I'm _always_ on my best behavior." She replied, knowing her father's game all too well. Looking over her shoulder, Dante saw Zaneba enter the room with Edward close behind.

"Hello Mommy!" Alistair said cheerfully to Zaneba. Smiling, the middle-aged woman rolled her eyes.

"Hello, son-in-law." She deadpanned in reply. Sophitia laughed, it was always fun to see her loved ones get along the way they did. Edward was quietly taking note of the scene before him, Elissa in particular. Her eyes were the same color as his, the only thing that made her look different than her mother aside from the fact Sophitia had a long braid trailing down her back.

"So mother, any progress with that slave ship you told us about?" Elissa asked. Chuckling, Zaneba smiled.

"Ask your daughter, Ellie. The Cervantes boy gave me an earful earlier." She replied, looking amusedly at Dante. Elissa looked at her daughter, who blushed and rubbed the back of her neck.

"We caught it today, actually. Took care of the Captain, helped a few people, the usual." The brunette said modestly.

"The Cervantes boy raised a fuss again, did he?" Alistair asked. Dante nodded as her parents rolled their eyes. "I swear, when will that boy learn? There's no arguing with a woman of this family. Doesn't get you anywhere!" He said with a smile.

"Though your daughter also unwittingly befriended the late Count Drisdall's son." Edward added. Everyone turned to face him, Dante appearing the most surprised by his statement. Caesar never mentioned _that_ during any of their conversations, just mentioned his uncle wanted his father's job. She figured he was a noble by the way he was dressed, but she never really paid attention to things outside of her home on the Kalina.

"Mother, who's this?" Elissa wondered, genuinely curious. Zaneba chuckled, looking at the two.

"I'll explain once we get there, dear." She said. Alistair looked at his confused daughter and spoke up.

"Frankly, I'm more concerned about my little Spitfire's new friend." He said, actually sounding serious. Edward chuckled.

"Well, I can assure you, he's not as bad as the rumors make him out to be." The blonde explained amiably. Alistair scowled, and Dante lost her battle with the yawn that wanted to get out, which made her mother giggle.

"It's been a long day, why don't you go to bed Siha?" Elissa suggested gently to her only child. Smiling tiredly, Dante nodded.

"Okay. Goodnight Mama, Daddy, love you guys." She mumbled sleepily. Her parents smiled back.

"Love you more, my darling daughter." Elissa replied. Yawning again, the young pirate left the room. Alistair smiled as he watched his baby girl go, but went right back to scowling once the door closed.

"Still don't like the fact that she's friends with a boy like that, in case anyone's wondering." Alistair grumbled. Elissa chuckled, shaking her head.

"Oh blow it out your ear, honey. My little girl can handle herself." She chided teasingly. Zaneba laughed.

"Well, the girl did freeze him earlier." Zaneba said amusedly. Elissa laughed, and Alistar sighed.

"See? Go pout, I win." Elissa said. Alistair sighed, grumbling random utterances and, well, pouting.

"So childish, your husband." Zaneba said once the man in question left. Elissa chuckled, looking at him from her side of the conversation.

"Yeah, but I love him anyway." She replied, tenderly smiling at the man she loved. Their conversation continued for a while afterwards. At the news that they were coming home, both parents showed visible relief. The four said their goodbyes and goodnights and Edward went to bed, leaving Zaneba alone in her office.

"It feels strange…" She mused to herself as she released the Bigelow. "But I suppose everything will come to light when we're there." Sitting down at her desk, the Dread Queen began to write once more in the tome that rested upon her desk, for there were still things to do before she slept.

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**Yeah yeah, I know it's not as long as other chapters for stories I've written. If someone complains about this being short, they get clobbered. Don't know the specifics, but they'll be clobbered. That means you, _Forever Free Evergreen.  
_Which reminds me, the names of Dante's parents. Those were changed God knows how many times. But once I got to typing this, the father's lines all made me think of Alistar Therin from Dragon Age: Origins. (Good game, love the series.) Not to be mistaken for the broody mage Alastor from FFE's (See italicised name above) _Tales of the White Knight: Awakenings_ and other such stories. Originally the mother's name was to be Sophitia, in honor of the mother from the Soul Calibur series. But once Alistair was figured out, I decided to rename her Elissa. Yup, the default name for a female character of the Human Noble Origin in DA:O.  
**

**Anyways, feel free to review, and I'll see you next week! ^**u


	11. SOPA

I found this out from an author of a story!

In is an important notice that will affect everyone on this sight and many others.

I saw this notice in a fic by gamelover41592, as well as seeing/hearing about it on other sites, that SOPA is back. The bill that is threatening to take away our freedoms on the internet is back. Not only back, but it is trying to be passed quietly so nobody notices. SOPA will guarantee that anybody who streams a video, whether it be on youtube, a walkthrough for a video game, or a kid singing a song that is 'copyrighted' they will be treated as a felon. That's one of the highest forms of criminal offense; for something as simple as uploading a video game walkthrough on youtube, playing a song with lyrics of your favorite artist, and even one we all go on, this one right here.

It affects us here on Fanfiction as well. Think it's an exaggeration? Who knows? You're required to do nothing, least of all believe. Shut one's eyes tight, or open one's arms wide. Either way, one's a fool. But belief or not, some things must be accepted. Fanfiction will be attacked for using canon characters in a fanon manner, and who the hell knows what else. This affects all of us, and we can't let it happen.

Some of you will likely claim bullshit, which is understandable. But the author I saw this provided links below to show she was telling the truth. Simply remove the spaces below, and see for yourself.

: / www . huffingtonpost 2013/08/07/unauthorized-streaming-felony_n_3720479 . html

: / www . washingtonpost blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/08/05/sopa-died-in-2012-b ut-obama-administration-wants-to-revive-part-of-it /

: / www . techdirt articles/20130805/12472124074/administration-cant- let-go-wants-to-bring-back-felony-streaming-provis ions-sopa . shtml

: / www . youtube watch?v=1fTt4K4Cae4

SOPA has been stopped before and damn if we can't do it again. Everything we love that gives lifeblood and character to these fandoms, from fanfics to fanart to video tributes, are being threatened. Everything from here to youtube is in danger of being FUBAR.

America once had the freedom to express themselves, but after the attacks on 9/11/2001, those freedoms began to dwindle in the name of "security." If we lose our collective voice, then who's to say that the US of A won't become like the England in V for Vendetta? We're not making money off of this, we're doing it because we enjoy it, and wish to share our passion with anyone who wants to see it. (And if there's some Government official spying on me or something, oh well. I'm stating my own opinion and it's not bringing any clear or present dangers to anyone's life, liberty, or their pursuit of happiness.)

It feels like one of those "copy and paste this if you're not afraid" statuses from Facebook, combined with an unofficial petition, but copy, paste, and add your name to the growing list if you're against SOPA.

shadowwriter329

Madam Jokudaime Kanaya Maryam

g1rldraco7

Yurei Hanatsuki 


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